480 



NOTES ON BRAZIL, 



ingly shallow, its waters in some places turbulent, and in every part 

 deeply coloured and saturated with red clay. Yet it furnishes St. John 

 with excellent fishes, some of which are of ten pounds weight. The 

 land on the South side of the river, after it has passed the town, is 

 remarkably broken, and full of precious Minerals; on the North side, 

 excepting the Serro of St. Joze, which contains much sulphur and several 

 species of metal, but no gold, it is more gentle and rounded ; on this 

 side, the summits of the hills are only four or five hundred feet above the 

 level of the stream, while on the other, they generally rise to the height 

 of fifteen hundred, and some to two thousand. 



When preparing to go forward to Villa Rica, my friends at St. John 

 did all they could to render the journey pleasant and interesting, and 

 herein displayed some new traits in their own character. One furnished 

 me with a most excellent black servant, accustomed to the country and 

 to travelling, with a baggage mule, and equipage admirably adapted for 

 conveying and keeping dry whatever might be useful on the road ; 

 another requested that I would take a horse from his stud and leave my 

 own, which would be wanted on my return to Kio ; a third provided me 

 with cakes, sweetmeats, and other luxuries for the way ; and the Gover- 

 nor, ever attentive to my comfort, furnished me with a route and 

 recommendations to his friends at the different stages, ordering also a 

 person who was going upon public business to Caancunha to travel with 

 me as far as I chose to have his company. 



The morning of my departure proved a stormy one and delayed me 

 until ten o'clock, when the weather had moderated into a steady English 

 wet day. Nevertheless, as I had taken leave of my friends and there 

 seemed to be a little bustle which I did not understand, but attributed to 

 my delay beyond the hour proposed for departure, I determined to set 

 off, and sent forward my baggage and attendants ; seeking my host to 

 bid him farewell, I was surprised to see him perfectly equipped for 

 travelling ; and ready, as it is expressed " to put me on my way." I 

 entreated he would not use so much ceremony, nor expose himself to 



